Rubber heel



April 23,1940. J. PINAUD n AL 2,198,228

RUBBER HEEL Filed Nov. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4| 54 44 FIG, G 45 A'WOR/VE Ys.

April 23, 1940.

J. PINAUD Er AL 2,198,228

RUBBER HEEL Filed Nov. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. I2

f I sigla-Af 4 oleNEYs.

`Patented Apr. 23, 1940 RUBBER HEEL John Pinaud and Sidney Pinaud,Atlantic Highlands, N. J.

Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 111,014

claims. (o1. sc ss) c The invention `relates to foot wear, and moreparticularly, a shoe heel.

The invention has for its primary object the .,1 improvement of certaindetails of construction `5 of the heel covered by Patent No. 1,977,695,dated October 23, 1934. Some of the more specific objects of theinvention are-to provide improved bonds between the top plate` and thebody of the l. heel; to provide improved Ventilating systems for theheel; to provide improved attachments of the heel to theshoe; and toprovide a novel reenforced heel.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combina' l5 tion, of parts hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and themanner in which it` may be carried out, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection `with theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a topplan, view of one form of heel according to the invention;

Fig. 2`is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. `1 illustrating theattachment of the heel to ashoe; Fig. 3 is a perspective of a specialinsert of sponge rubber or other material which may be i `used in therear cavity of the heel;

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of `heel having but a single cavityinwhich an insert is disposed and having a modified form of attachmentbetween metal top plate and heel body;

Fig. 5 is a further modified form similar to Fig. 4 but without therubber insert;

Fig.` 6 is a further modification taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 10`illustrating. a form of heel having a front cavity in addition to therear cavity;

Fig.`7 corresponds to a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 10 but` showingthe top plate assembled; 46 Fig. 8` is a top view of the top plate shownin Figs. 4 7; y *Fig 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 10; Fig 10is a top plan View of the heel body shown in Figs. 6-9 with the topplate removed;

` Fig. 1l. is a detail illustrating the manner in which the holesthrough the top plate may be punched;

Fig. l2 is a partial, vertical section through another form of heeltaken on the line l2 `|2 of 56: Figi 13;

- wise secured in place.

Fig. 13 is a top plan View of the heel of Fig. 12 before being appliedto a shoe;

Fig. 14 is a section on the line I4 I4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a partial, Vertical section through still another form ofheel taken on the line l5 l5 of ftV Fig. 16

Fig. `16 is a top plan View of the form shown in Fig. 15 before it isattached to the shoe;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line Il i'I of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a vertical section through another form of heel construction;

Fig. 19 is a plan view of the heel illustrated in Fig. 1S, but beforeitis fastened to the shoe; and Fig. 20 is asection on the line 2li-2liof Fig. 19. In the following description and in the claims, 1d variousdetails will be identified by specific names for convenience, but theyare intended to be as generic in their application as the art willpermit. Like reference characters denote likeparts in `the severalfigures of the drawings. 2'0

body l of rubber or other suitable resilient or 30" elastic materialhaving a plug II of similar or somewhat harder material cemented vorother- The heel is formed with a rear `cavity l2 having a crescentshaped and a forward cavity I3. `These cavities are connected 35 byYducts i4 formed in the plug I I. Further ducts or passages I5 formed inthe plug Il connect forward cavity I3 with the front of the heel.

The heel body I0 further comprises a top Wall i6, a curved back wall I'Iand side walls I8 and 40 i9 and bottom wall 20. Plug Il has a forwardpart l2l and a rear part 22 and the cavity I3 is formed with the bottomwall 23.

. flange, indicated by 26, overlapping the vflange 25 along the sidesand curved back thereof. 50

n will bo understood that the body lo and plug I I are moldedseparately. During the molding of the body I0., a core is used to formthe rear cavity` I2 and the space to be occupied by the plug I I. Afterthe body I 0 ofthe heel is molded 55 with the metal plate 24 inposition, the core is removed and the plug is cemented or otherwisesecured in position.

For securing the heel to the sole of the shoe, special nails 29 may beprovided. These nails have a collar 3|) along the shank thereof, and aredriven home by a special nail set or holder 3| having a recess foraccommodating the shank of the nail 29. For driving the nail home, itwill first be placed in the nail set 3|, as indicated in Fig. 2, andinserted through one of the holes 21 in the heel and hammered in theusual way. This causes the point of the nail to be upset, as illustratedin Fig. 2, and the heel firmly locked to the sole of the shoe.

It will be understood that the back wall |1 and the part of the bottomwall 20 enclosing the rear cavity |2 are relatively thin and freelycollapsible so that, when the foot is put down in walking, the part ofthe bottom wall 20 under the lower rear edge 28 of plug section 22 takesthe impact. This point is substantially under the plantar tubercules ofthe os calcis. At this point support to the foot may be substantiallynon-yielding, but, if desired, it may be elastic or resilient to absorbshock when the heel strikes the ground in walking. ,The lower supportingedge 28 is curved (Fig. l) to adapt the invention to perso-ns who walkon the outside of the heel, as explained in the earlier patent.

Referring now to Figs. 6-10, in this form the bodyof the heel 4|) ismolded in one piece and the metal plate 4| is cemented or otherwiseattached to the heel after the molding operation. In this form the rearcrescent-shaped cavity is denoted by 42 and the forward cavity kby 43.The ducts connecting the cavities are denoted byy 44 and the ductsconnecting the forward cavity 43 with the front of the heel are denotedby 45. 'Ihe heel body 40 has a curved back wall 46 merging into sidewalls 41 and 48, the bottom wall 49 and the front wall 50.

Fo-r attaching the metal plate 4|, the body 4U isv molded with ahorseshoe-shaped recess 5| extending along the side walls 41, 48 andintersecting rear cavity 42 `at the back wall 46 of the heel. Thisrecess 5| has a cross sectional configuration, as illustrated especiallyin. Fig. 9, to cooperate with a metal plate 4| which has a downwardlydelecting flange 52 with an upwardly extending rim 53 extending alongthe sides and back of the plate. Y After the body 4|) and the plate 4|are separately formed, plate 4| may be forced into position and securedtothe body with or without the use of cement. The flexible condition ofthe rubber forming the body of thel heel 40 permits inserting ythe metalplate 4| in vto the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

For attaching the heel to the sole of the shoe, nail holes 54 areprovided in the plate 4|, these nail holes being punched upwardly so as`to form rear of. the heel. Other parts are of similar obtained byvulcanizing the rubber to the metal in this manner. The metal plate 24may be of any desired metal, such as steel, either stainless orotherwise, or steel platedwith brass to improve the adhesion totherubber. The embedding of the plate 24 into the rubber assists in holdingthe rear to-p edge of the heel up against the sole of the shoe.

A similarlyv improved bond is obtained between the plate 4| and body 40in Figs. 4-10. Here an` additional interlock is obtained between therubber and the metal which not only prevents the rubber from beingpulled down, but also prevents the rubber surrounding the rear cavityfrom being pulled out. Although the top` plate 4| and heel body 40 maybe separated when apart from the shoe, the attachment of the heel to theshoe positively prevents separation of the plate 4| and body 40. Theinterlock between the flanges 52, 53 of plate 4| and the back wall ofthe rear cavity 42 prevents the latter from being pulled down or out.

The special attachment between heel and shoe shown in Fig. 2 is ofadvantage in preventing the destruction of the adhesion betweenk thecemented surface of the plug and heel body. The use of the cover plate24 to take the holding action of the nails would ordinarily require arelatively short nail which, if driven by an ordinart7 nail punch, wouldupset before it could be driven home. The use of the special nail andnail set shown in Fig. 2 overcomes this disadvantage and permits drivingthe nail home so that the point thereof can be upsetover the top of theshoe sole. The use of the flaring holes 54m Figs. 4-10 accurately guidesthe nail so that it passes through the hole and can be driven homeaccurately.

The use of the separable plate in Figs. 4-10 permits the withdrawal ofthe coresforming the recesses in the molding operation and eliminatesthe necessity for a separatey plug which must be cemented in placeafterwards as in Fig. 2. The Hanging of the top plates also strengthensthem, permitting lighter metal to be used. v y

To .take care of the compression of the air inthe rearcavities I2 and42, the Vents |4 and 44 communicate with cavities |3 and 43, which inturn communicate with the outside. Ordinarily, no trouble will beexperienced from water since the vents I5 and 45 are at the top oftheheel. However, in case water does get into these vents, theforwardcavities I3 and 43 act asl traps preventing the water fromreaching the rear cavities. In Figs. 1 and 2 the plug is provided withan integral bottom Wall23 so that there is no cemented joint at thebottom of the cavity I3 through which water may leak tothe rear` cavity|2. The form shown in Fig. 5 having no vents, and the form shown in Fig.4 using sponge v rubber offer greater immunity against water seepage',but, of course, have the disadvantage of not being as freelycollapsibleas the other forms.

Referring now to Figs. 1214, here the rubber heel body is denoted by|60, while the crescentshaped collapsible rear cavity is denoted by 62`and impact-receiving edge by 96. A single ven- The use o-f a resilientmaterial at thispoint has the advantage of giving a softer walkingaction, making the heel more nearly approximate the effect of walkingbarefooted on soft earth.

It will be understood that the forward walls 28 and 58 of the rearrecess in Figs. 1-11, and the corresponding points in Figs. 12-20, areplaced substantially under the plantar tubercules of the os calcis orcalcaneum at the instant the heel strikes the ground in Walking, thereasons for this construction and the advantages thereof being fully setforth in the earlier patent above referred to.

f While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed andare pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood thatvarlous omissions, substitutions and changes may be vmade bythoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a heel structure for a shoe or the like, a heel body having sidewalls and a curved back Wall, said heel body having a rear cavity makingsaid back wall collapsible, the top of said curved back wall having abead, a reenforcing wire having its curved back portion embedded in saidbead and having looped portions embedded in the body of the heel, sai-dwire being arched downwardly adjacent said looped portions, washersembedded in said body, certain of said washers being located under andadjacent said arched portions.

2. In a heel structure f or a shoe or the like, a heel body having sidewalls and a curved back wall, said heelbody having a rear cavity makingsaid back wall collapsible, a reenforcing wire having its curved backportion embedded in the 'top of said curved back wall and having frontportions embedded in the body of the heel, said wire being archeddownwardly between its front and back portions, washers embedded in saidbody, certain of said Washers being located adjacent said archedportions. v

3. In a heel structure for a shoe or the like, a heel body having sidewalls, a curved back wall, and a rear cavity having collapsible walls, areenforcing' Wire having its curved back lportion embedded in the top ofsaid curved back wall and having front portions embedded in the body ofthe heel.

4. A heel for a shoe or the like having a cavity near the rear thereofand having collapsible walls, a flexible body forward of said cavity, areenforcing wire embedded in the upper edges of said collapsible wallsand in the body of the heel, the whole heel being curved upwardly at itsfront and rear ends to enable the rear collapsible portion to be heldtightly against the sole of the shoe when the body of the heel isfastened tothe sole.

5. In a shoe or the like, a shoe base, a heel having side walls and. acurved back wall, said heel having a rear cavity making said back wallcollapsible and a body portion in front of said cavity, a reenforcingwire embedded in the top of said back Wall and anchored in said bodyportion, and fastening members passing through said body portion andthrough said base for firmly securing the heel to the shoe, saidreenforcing wire providing a cantilever support for said curved backwall to hold it firmly against the shoe base.

JOI-1N PINAUD. SIDNZEY PINAUD.

